Follow the author of this article

Follow the topics within this article

A British woman is seeking donations from the public to help her adopt a young Ugandan boy she met while working in an orphanage during her gap year.

Emilie Larter, 25, was due to spend two months volunteering at the orphanage in 2014, but ended up extending her stay to spend more time with the child, named Adam, whose mother died when he was just a few days old.

Writing on her Go Fund Me page, Ms Larter says: "We took him in and I became the little one's sole carer. The sleepless nights were down to me, but they were no bother. I felt privileged to do it.

Credit:
Emilie Larter

"I didn't do much but never a day went by where I was bored. I could sit and watch him for hours."

She spend several months in Uganda, before returning to the UK to work and save up money. She would visit Adam during the holidays, and started making plans to formally adopt the boy.

"In Uganda, you must foster before you adopt," she explains. "To adopt, you must reside with the child in Uganda for at least one year.

Credit:
Emilie Larter

"There are very few international teaching positions in Jinja, Uganda. I was incredibly lucky to be offered a job in the only large international school in the area. In August 2016, I moved to Uganda for the foreseeable future."

However, just before Christmas she lost her job - and is now appealing for donations to help her finish the adoption process.

At time of writing close to £15,000 has been donated by members of the public - far above Ms Larter's original goal of £4,500.

In an update on the fundraising page she writes: "£4,500 covers transport for the social worker and lawyer, lawyer fees, court fees, home study fee, child report fee, long birth and death certificates and social worker facilitation.

Credit:
Emilie Larter

"It does not cover UK immigration lawyer fees, visas, flights, UK home study, UK adoption lawyer nor UK court fees. These were things I was hoping to somehow find the money for myself, but any donations towards I would be eternally grateful.

"Adoption is an expensive process which I always intended to fund myself. I am beyond grateful to all of you are helping me on my journey to become Adam's mum!"